Dear All,

I am writing to you regarding my GMAT experience. I have just taken GMAT couple of days ago. It seems harder than previous one I had taken. Hard. Prob in the 3rd Q question and Hard SC / CR in the first 10 V questions. Finally I got 660 (Q50/V31)

Now here is my question. I am a international prospective student. I am looking forward to going into MBA program in Fall 2004. I have quite strong credentials, such as Engineering background (top 10% in one of the strongest schools in my country), plenty of extracurricular activities (cooperation, non-profit, etc.) and a broad (6 yrs) and successful work experience both in private sector and in non-profit sector (at this time I am Marketing Director of an internationally recognized non-profit).

The only rock I have found in my way is GMAT. While I got in the Toefl a strong 277 (95%), I have taken GMAT three times I got a mere 650 (Q 48, V 31) in the first, 650 (Q46, V34) and the last 660 (Q50, V31)... (YES, I AM EXTRAORDINARY ACCURATE AS YOU CAN SEE...) . I do not know what to do and have several doubts, such as:

- Should I retake the Gmat one more time as I believe I can do better or concentrate on applications? Does the lack of increase in GMAT score harm my application?

- Are there a maximum number of test tries that you can bring to bschool?

- Do bschools receive only the 3 more recent results? or do they receive all the results that you have?

So, I will be very thankful if you could bring me some light on this issue.

Thank you very much in advance.

PS: If anyone is especially interested I can offer a deeper vision of my quite recent Gmat experience.

Jorge,

I don┬┤t know where are you form, but from your name it seems you are from Latin america. Well I am from Uruguay, so maybe we are neighbours.
Regarding your GMAT, The retaking will depend on what schools are you targeting. If your aonly hope is to get into Harvard, Wharton or Stanford, maybe you should retake, but if your target does not "only" inlcude those schools, I think you a very good chance of being accepted.
About taking the exam more than once, I can tell you that schools will get information of the last 3 exams, but if you have already send the score, they will have the whole picture.
I have already taken the GMAT 3 times and I am going for the fourth later in August. My scores are lower than yours, but my target is only top ten schools, so I aim 680 or above. I think you have a good chance of being accepted at a top school, but you may find some difficulties in schools like H/S/W, Columbia, Kellog and Mit.
With your score you may well have a posibility in Chicago, UMBS, Duke, Tuck, and many others, even if you are lucky you can gain admission to one of the first group.

Hope this helps.

You got a 50 in Q, how was that you found difficult the math section. Your score is great.

Jorge, we surely are interested in your GMAT experience - it is always interesting.

The schools get 4 most recent results that show up on your score report. I think you can take only 4 GMAT's a year. At least that's teh most recent rule I know. It used to be that if you take more than 4 a year, the latest will not show up on the report, but you can still take it.

As to re-taking; it depends how you feel - if you have patience and strength and some areas you think you can improve - I would go for it, but if it is a waste of time and just more frustration, I would just make sure I have stronger essays.

Frankly, if you are in unknown area - i would have concentrated on the essays and applications and if I felt a little time left before the deadline, I would have taken the GMAT again - however, I would not send the scores to teh school. I would wait to see the score - if you get a higher one - send it; if not, just use the ones you sent to school previously.

Bogdan.